In another abhorrent cruelty against an animal, a landlord in Sanghar along with six of his minions chopped off a camel’s leg in June 2024. Its crime: foraging into the landlord’s field. The incident occurred on June 14 in the Mundh Jamrao area, where the animal had wandered into an agricultural field. The camel’s entry into the field infuriated the landlord, who, along with his employees, resorted to violent measures. The group initially tortured the animal before using a sharp tool to sever its leg.

In a system as broken as ours it is a relief to know that Sindh government officials, including the chief minister, intervened and had the animal shifted to a shelter in Karachi, where it is being given medical treatment.

However, what shatters one’s peace is the certainty that this will not be the last display of such cruelty. The Sanghar incident comes only weeks after a crowd of bloodthirsty men threw a dog down the roof of a building to its death in Karachi. It is baffling how one crime reported in this country either supersedes or matches the barbarity of a previous one. Action against the culprits in both incidents came only after their videos went viral on social media. The only technological advancement our law enforcers have been forced to embrace is cellphone cameras and the crimes captured on them. The chances of a victim getting justice in our country are now very strongly bound to whether the crime committed against them was caught on camera or not. Footage of the brutal act quickly spread on social media, sparking widespread condemnation. Despite the public outcry, police initially registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown individuals rather than directly implicating the landlord.

However, power and influence continue to trump all exceptions. The landlord who decided the punishment for the peasant and his camel remains out of the reach of the law. The six men arrested are his servants who merely followed his orders. This impunity belies the government officials’ actions. Having the injured animal moved to a shelter is mere patchwork. What we really need is for the state to rein in its ruling elite to prevent abuses of power. The People’s Party and its leaders who do not miss a single chance to talk to the media are silent as a Sindhi landlord is involved.

The video of the incident went viral on social media, showing the camel in agony and crying. The owner of the camel protested vehemently at the Sanghar Press Club, holding the severed leg. The video showed the camel in severe distress.

The matter obviously has been settled between the camel owner and the landlord but the chopped leg cannot be brought back to the camel; the only just solution is to chop off one leg each of all the culprits as well.

MNA Shazia Atta Marri asked the district administration to take action. The Sanghar Deputy Commissioner dispatched medical teams to treat the injured camel. The influential people responsible for mutilating the camel were reportedly shielded by Mangli police, who registered the case on behalf of the police instead of the camel’s owner.

Police bring handcuffed suspects charged with hacking off a camel’s leg to a court in Sanghar. The injured camel is seen in a screen grab taken from social media website.

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The injured camel has now been transferred to a Karachi’s animal shelter for medical treatment. Some are claiming that the camel will undergo comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation, including the fitting of a prosthetic leg. Let’s hope that the claim is true.

In a system as broken as ours it was a relief that the Sindh government officials, including the chief minister, intervened and had the animal shifted to a shelter in Karachi.

However, what shatters one’s peace is the certainty that this will not be the last display of such cruelty. The Sanghar incident came only weeks after a crowd of bloodthirsty men threw a dog down the roof of a building to its death in Karachi. It is baffling how one crime reported in this country either supersedes or matches the barbarity of a previous one. Action against the culprits in both incidents came only after their videos went viral on social media. The only technological advancement our law enforcers have been forced to embrace is cellphone cameras and the crimes captured on them. The chances of a victim getting justice in our country are now strongly bound to whether the crime committed against them was caught on camera. At the cost of sounding insensitive, one is lucky if it has.

However, power and influence continue to trump all exceptions. The landlord who decided the punishment for the peasant and his camel remains out of the reach of the law. The six men arrested are his servants who merely followed his orders. This impunity belies the government officials’ actions. Having the injured animal moved to a shelter is mere patchwork. We really need the state to rein in its ruling elite to prevent abuses of power.